A’s sweep Astros, await Reddick news

The A’s cruised to a 9-3 victory in Houston to sweep the Astros, and they’ve scored 23 runs in the three games. In fact, Oakland hasn’t scored fewer than six runs in any of the team’s five wins this year.

However: Josh Reddick, the Gold Glove right fielder and the A’s leading home-run hitter last year, left in the fifth inning after slamming hard into the side wall down the right field line and he was holding his right arm awkwardly. The A’s will not provide any information about his status until after the game, so for the quickest news, check Twitter, @susanslusser.

Many people who saw the replay of Reddick’s collision believe he’s broken something, but you never know. We all assumed he was injured slamming into the wall at Baltimore last year and he was bruised but otherwise fine. He’s one tough hombre. And it’s going to take something really major to keep him out for long.

Brett Anderson looked as if he was trying to join Reddick in the training room, twice throwing up his bare left hand to try to field balls and twice deflecting them, instead, earning visits from trainers. I know it’s an instinct thing, but Anderson would be wise to just let his fielders handle balls up the middle; he’s far more likely to get hurt doing that than helping the team doing so. Rich Harden tore his right shoulder capsule trying to field a comebacker barehanded and he’s never really been the same since – and he was a much better fielder than Anderson.

Anderson stayed in and struck out 10, matching his career high. The Astros are up to 74 for the season, compared to 34 for their opponents. Staggering total in six games.

Jed Lowrie is batting .500 after another three-hit day, which included a two-run homer in the third. Lucas Harrell. Coco Crisp hit homers in all three games of the series, with another solo shot today in the fourth. And Chris Young knocked a three-run homer to left in the fifth inning.